Apparatus for treating or distilling hydrocarbons or liquids likely to form emulsions.



F. M. A. A. MELCHIOR. APPARATUS FOR TREATING 0H DISTILLING HYDROCARBONS OH LIQUIDS LIKELY TO FORM EMULSID APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 191 2. 1,253,41 1. Patented Jan'.15,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I F. M. A. A. MELCHIOR. APPARATUS FOR TREATING 0R DISTILLING HYDROCARBONS OR LIQUIDS LIKELY TO FORM EMULSIONS.

- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3. 1912. 1,253,41 1. Patented Jan. 15,1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2 F. A. A. MELCHIOR. I APPARATUS FOR TREATING 0R m smuue HYDROCARBONS 0R uoums LIKELY TO roam EMULSIONS.

I APPLICATION FlLgD SEPT. 13; I912. 1,253,41 1 V Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l l J zr F. M. A. A. MELCHIUR. v APPARATUS FOR TREATING 0R DISTILLING HYDROCARBONS 0R LIQUIDS LIKELY TO FORM EMULSIONS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, I3. I912.

Patented Jan.15,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

m nia UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mm HAXIMILIEN ADOLIHE ALEXANDBE MELCHIOR, or rams, rnancn, ASBIGNOB r0 800mm ANONYME DES coMBUsTIBLns INDUSTRIELS, or rams, FRANCE.

AIPABLTUS FOR, TREATING 01B. DISTILLING HYDROGARBONS 0R LIQUIDS LIKELY TO FORM EMULSIONS.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, FELIX MAXIMILIEN ADoLrHn ALEXANDRE MnLoHIoB, citizen of France, residing at Paris, 17 Rue Cavalottl, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treatin or Distilling Hydrocarbons or Liquids L' tely to Form Emulsions, and do hereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description 0 the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Certain liquid hydrocarbons such as coal tar, hydrated residues of naphtha, crude naphtha containing water, gelatinous solutions and the like cannot be heated in order to drive oil the water they contain or for the urpose of distillation, without forming emu sions which overflow the boilers in which said hydrocarbons or liquids are treated.

The present invention relates to a process for avoiding this drawback dint of the of examples in the accompanying drawings;

In said drawings Figure -1 is a vertical sectional view through one form of apparatus which may be used;

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, are vertical sectional views through modified forms of apparatus;

Figs. 6 and 7, respectively, show a vertical sectional view and a longitudinal sectional view, partly broken away, of another modified form of apparatus;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10, show respectively, a vertical sectional view, a fra entary longitudinal sectional view, an a perspective view, of still another modification;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of still another modified form;

Fig. 12 is a lan view of one of the upper heating coils s own in Fig. 11, and

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view lllllS- trating one form of heat distributing means.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

Application filed September 13, 1912. Serial No. 720,132.

Referring first to the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, a uantit M of liquid hydrocarbons is heate in a oiler R with a first source of heat passing through a coil A, and then with a more intense source of heat passing through a coil B, provided above the liquid mass being treated and which is likely to form an emulsion. Coil A is disposed within a space provided by incl ned longitudinally disposed partitions C widest apart at their bases, being elevated from the bottom of the boiler and' having the upper edges curved outwardly so that the walls form a substantially inverted funnel. These walls guide the emulsion upwardly into contact with heater B. Heater B partially evaporates the emulsion which rises against it and the product after the influence thereon of the heat from heater B, partly condenses against the walls of the boiler, and the remainder returns to the mass outside of the partitions C. This processis practised in a continuous closed cycle.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is substantially similar to that ofFig. 1. However it is provided with inclined longitudinally extendin deflectors or guides 63 and 64 to receive t e material after it has been acted on by heater B and lead it to the material outside of the partitions C.

In Fig. 3 the boiler is designated 1 and preferably covered with a suitable heat in- I At the top, a heating coil 4 is disposed through which a heating medium more mtense than that passing through the coil 3 or supplied to hearth 2, passes. Of the coil 4, 5 is the inlet and 6 is the outlet. A tube or pipe 7 is disposed within the boiler and conveys steam, air or another medium to facilitate the stirring and evaporation of the liquid, to a perforated fixed or movable pipe portion 8 disposed within the material under treatment. The air, gas or other medium escapes from pipe 8 into the material through the perforations of the pipe. A

pipe 10 is provided throu h which the hydrocarbons may be supplie to the boiler. A pipe section 12 connects with the boiler 1 and through the same, air under 3n assure,

may be injected into the mass to permit the same to continue the distillation without increasing the heating thereof.

The construction shown in Fig. 4 differs from that shown in Fig. 3 in several important particulars although most of the reference numerals used in Fig. 3 likewise apply in Fig. 4.v The heating coil 3 in this instance is disposed within a partition-which takes the form of a hollow structure having a conical exterior and being provided with openings at its base whereby the interior of the partition may communicate with the interior of the boiler 1 so as to permit flow of the material. The space within the boiler exterior-of the partition 13 may contain a coil 16 through which steam or the like may be passed to heat the hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons rise from partition 13 through a pipe 14, then into a casing 15 and against the coil 1 which is disposed therein, escaping from the casing through perforations as shown in its lower wall. The hydrocarbons are introduced into the boiler through a pipe 9. An outlet is provided at 11. Pipe- 12 is provided so that a connection may be made therewith in order tb inject air, gas or carbonic acid, under pressure, into the liquid to stir the same when the latter is strongly heated, if desired. Preferably pipes or coils 3 and 16 connect with a central piping and are controlled therefrom by means of a three way valve so that the medium may be passed into either the coil 3 or 16 as desired.

Apparatus of the type shown in Fig. 5 differs from that of Fig. 4 only in several particulars. Thetops of walls 13 flare outwardly and support pipes 1 1 which communicate with. the interior of casin 15 so that the material from the casing 15 in addition to escaping through the perforations at the bottom wall thereof, may pass through the pipes 14 and into the space of vessel 1 exterior of the partition 13.

Referring now to the form of apparatus shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the same difl'ers slightly from that shown in the other views and particularly with respect to the upper and lower heatlng means and the provision of outlet troughs. The heating means 3 in this instance comprises a plurality of vertically disposed coils, each having an inlet 17 and an outlet 18. Supplementary to the means 3, if desired, I may provide a distributing pi e 20 to receive steam or other heatin medium through a supply pipe 21. From pipe 20 depend vertical pipes 19 which communicate with a pipe 22 in turn connecting with an outlet pipe 23. The pipes 3 and 19 in combination with the source of supply, serve to effectively heat the contents of the boiler. Partitions 13 flare outwardly to a considerable extent in this construct1on 1n order to accommodate the pipes formmg the heating means 3. The u per heating means at 4 consists of a plura ity of horizontally disposed tubes extending from the inlet pipes 5 and connecting with the outlet pipes (3. Walls 13 at their tops are flared outwardly so that the same Wlll deflect the material directly on the uppermost pipe and below the uppermost pipe are connected to the inlet 5 and outlet 6, deflectors 26 which guide the material on to the lowermost pipe at 4. This construction insures intimate contact of the material with the upper heating means. It will be noted that the tubes are arranged in superposed alternating rows. At the top of the boiler, are provided a plurality of troughs 26 which catch the material condenslng on the top of the boiler and lead the same to a collector 28 from which it is passed through pipes 29 to suitable condensers. The plpes 8 which are employed for the purpose of injecting air or other gas or the equivalent into the material between the partitions, may be utilized in this construc tion. I preferably use this form of apparatus when liquids are treated which do not easily form an emulsion.

With respect to the construction illus trated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the same is substantially similar to the construction 'ust described with respect to Figs. 6 and 7. he main difference resides in the fact that but a single partition 13is employed. This partition extends substantially diagonally of the boiler, its bottom edge being raised with respect to the base of the boiler so as to provlde communication between two compartments as in the other figures, and the upper edge terminates short of the opposite side wall of the boiler and is deflected inwardly for the same purpose as in Figs. 6 and 7. In this instance, the pipes 19 are disposed intermediate the deflector 13 and the left hand wall of the boiler and close to the latter.

While the same referencenuinerals as in most of the other figures apply to Figs. 11 and 12, yet the construction shown in these figures is slightly different from the others.

In the first place, pipes 4 are arranged in coils as shown in detail in Fig. 12. These coils are superposed and rogressively rise. The receiver 28 completely surrounds the boiler. Also pipes 19 are arranged in the form of coils and are disposed between two partitions 13. Also the pipes 3 and 16 are arranged in coils with 0011 3 surrounded by rods 16.

Fig. 12 illustrates a form of pump which a This heatin same flows into the chamber defined by partition or partitions 13 as the case may be, assuming the same level in both chambers. While in the chamber defined by the partition or partitions 13, the material is heated by reason of the heating medium passing through the lower heating pipe means 3.

of the material causes a current thereo to rise from the chamber defined by partion or partitions 13 into intimate contact with the heating means 4 which is of a higher temperature than the heating means 3. If the hydrocarbon is of such a nature that it does not readily emulsify, air, carbonic acid or other gas is injected thereinto through the pipes 8. In some of the forms of the apparatus, the volatile products which condense at the top of the boiler flow into the troughs'27 and thence into the receivers or troughs 28 from whence it is ledthrough pipes 29 to suitable condensers. As to the material passing over pipes 4, it successively passes over the different sections thereof, being deflected by means of the elements 26. The portion of this material which does not condense and flow off through the troughs 27, returns to the first chamber containing the hydrocar= bons awaiting treatment and are again treated when the material last mentioned comes into thechamber containing pipes 3. The treatment of the material is effected in a closed cycle and the apparatusjis preferably as shown in some of the figures, protected with heat insulating material so that the process may be practised with a minimum loss of heat.

It is to be understood that changes in the invention within the spirit and scope of the appended claims may be resorted to.

I claim 1. An apparatus for distilling liquids which foam when heated including a casing having a vapor outlet, a heating coil in said casing to be submerged, a partition means to direct foam upward from the surface of the liquid, and a pluralitynf series of horizontal, closely spaced heating pipes, one series being at a different elevation from the next, the highest being adjacent the top of the partition and the lowest adjacent the wall of the casing, and a deflector plate between each series, whereby the foam may pass from the partition and be caused to pass between the pipes of each series.

2. An apparatus for "distilling liquids which foam when heated, including a casing having a vapor outlet, an upwardly inclined plate, a heating coil at the bottom of the casing to be submerged, a. plurality of vertical heating pipes to be partly submerged, and a plurality of series of horizontal pipes located above the surface of the liquid, one series being at a difl'erent elevation from the next, the highest being located adjacent the top of the plate and the lowest adjacent the wall of the casing, and a deflector plate be: tween each series of pipes,

3. An apparatus for distilling liquids which foam when heated, including a casing having a vapor outlet, an upwardly inclined plate, a heating coil at the bottom of the casing to be submerged, a plurality of headers at each end of the casing above the surface of the liquid, a plurality of horizontal pipes connecting opposed headers and forming a plurality of series, the headers at one end of the casing having inlets and the other headers having outlets, the pipes of one series being at a different elevation from the next, and the highest being located adjacent to the top of the plate and the lowest adjacent to the wall of the casing, and a deflector plate between each series of pipes.

4. An apparatus for distilling llquids which foam whenheated, including a rectangular casing, a pair of substantially vertical, upwardly converging plates within the casing, heating pipes and a horizontal header in the lower portion of the casing between the lower ends of the plates, a second horizontal header above the first between the upper ends of the plates, vertical pipes connecting said headers, perforated steam pipes in said casing, the heating pipes and perfo rated pipes being submerged and the vertical pipes partly submerged, a plurality of series of horizontal, closely spaced pipes at each side of the upper portion of the casing above the surface of the liquid, one series being at a different elevation from the next, the highest series being located adjacent to the upper ends of the plates and the lowest adjacent wall of the casing, an inclined deflector plate between each series to insure the passage of material by gravity from between the pipes of one series to the next, a plurality of inclined troughs depending from the under side of the top plate of the casing, and collector troughs located at the lower ends of said inclined troughs.

In testimony whereof I have signed this 7 FELIX MAXIMILIEN ADOLPHE V ALEXANDRE MELGHIOR.

Witnesses J. PREDRUE, LUomN MEMMINGE 

